Shim



R. P. FLINN.

SHIM.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 23, I920.

Inventor:

Patented Dec. 7, 1920.

IIIHIHIII w remove the lower T 0 all whom it may concern:

RICHARD 1. FLINN, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

SHIMI.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented Dec. '7, 1920.

Application filed July 23, 1920. Serial No. 398,523.

Be it known that I, RICHARD P. FLINN. a citizen of the United States, residing at the borough of Brooklyn, in the city of New York, county of Kings, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shims, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings, which form a part thereof.

My invention relates to shims, and more particularly to a type thereof so constructed as to permit a rapid and convenient takeup of the journal housing to compensate for wear upon the anti-friction bearing, and eliminate knock in and about an engine or other mechanism.

It is the common practice in connection with internal combustion engines, to equip the lower bearing of the engine connecting rod with shims between the two parts of the sectionalhousing, so as, to permit the takeup of the bearing ab'ove referred to. Such shims are frequently made of fairly thick stock, it being necessary to completely remove such a shim and substitute a thinner shim therefor when effecting repairs.

In some forms of shims, it is the practice to make them of a plurality of separable laminae so that it is essential to remove only one lamina in order to permit the desired takeup of the bearing. In some forms of laminated shims, it is essential to completely half of the journal housing in order to separate one of the lamina from the shim, while in other shims of this type it is essential to provide a specially constructed housing to avoid displacement of the shim, this type of shim requiring fairly thick gage metal in the different laminae to impart the desired rigidity thereto and facilitate its mounting in, and removal from, the housing.

With the above conditions in mind, I have provided a shim which may be made of very thin gage metal stock, it being possible to use stock ranging from .001 .to .002 of an inch, a plurality of. superimposed; unconnected laminae being used to secure the 'desired thickness of the shim in its entirety The shim of my invention'may be applied I to any standard form of journal housing, a portion of each lamina of the shim being so formed as to cooperate with the securing' bolt or bolts in a .manner to cause the entire shim to be held firmly in place, and anble laminae,

other portion of each lamina being so slotted as to be readily removable in relation to said bolt, the two portions of each lamina being so connected, and the various laminae being so associated, asto form a practically integral structure having sufficient rigidity to permit its convenient handling while permitting the separation of the slotted portion of each lamina from the other portion thereof, and its separation from the other laminae, with a very slight loosening of the securing bolts. 1

The construction above referred to not only facilitates a reduction in the thickness of the shim in its entirety, without removing the lower part of the journal housing, and

desired retention of the shim in secures the relation to the housing at all times, but permits the use of sufficiently lightmetal in each lamina of the shim to secure a minute takeup of the bearing. Furthermore, by employing a plurality of unconnected, separaany desired thickness of shim may be readily secured when originally assemblin the bearing, it woul be the practice to provide a slight over-thickness in the completed shim so that all adjustment of a reduction in thickness rather than anincrease thereof.

The main characteristic of the invention is that construction which permits the employment of very thin metal stock in each lamina of the shim, combined with the capability of removing each lamina without disturbing the others, and by merely a slight separation of the two parts of the journal housing.

The invention consists primarily in a shim consisting of a plurality of superimposed, unconnected, independently separable laminae composed of thin metal stock, each of said laminae having two connected substantially parallel portions, one of which has a bolt opening therethrough and the other of which has aslot therein adapted to straddle a bolt passing through the other opening, whereby said portions may be readily sevcred one from. the other and the slotted portion may be removed fromthe housing independently of the portion having the bolt opening therethrough; and in such other thereof will be in the nature although ordinarily I novel features of construction and combina- I shim shown in Fig. 4 removed from the journal housing.

Like letters refer to like parts throughout the several views.

While in the accompanying drawings, I have shown the invention as applied to the lower end bearing of the connecting rod of an internal combustion engine, it is apparent that it is applicable to other forms of split bearings.

pm by means of the bolts In the embodiment of my invention shown in the drawings, a indicates the lower end of the connecting rod of an ordinary internal combustion engine having an ordinary split journal housing formed of two sections 5 and 0, the upper section I) having the usual bosses b and b and the lower section 0 having the usual bosses c and c 'Carried by the housing sections b and a respectively are the two sections d and e of a split antifriction bearing.

The two sections of the journal housing are connected and tightened upon the crank f and g passing through openings in the bosses b and c, and b and c The two sections 6 and c of the journal housing are spaced apart the desired distance by means of shims made in accordance with positioned between the adjahousing, and the bearing carried thereby.

Referring more particularly to the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 3, the shim therein disclosed consists of a plurality of superim osed laminae of thin gage sheet metal, pre erably of a thickness of .001 or- .002 of an inch, a fold or bight being formed along the center line of each lamina so as to present therein two distinct portions k and it, one above the other, said portions being connected by the metal at the 'fold, which connecting portion is indicated at 71. The connecting portion b has the two-fold function of serving to unite the portions k-h and facilitating the upper portion from the lower portion of each lamina, and its removal from the journal housing, without disturbing the relation of the other laminae and without removing the lower portion 0 of the journal housing from adjacent the crank pin. Said connecth are pierced separation of the 1 ing portion also retains the upper portion in relation to the journal housing through the medium of the lower portion which is retained in a fixed relation to said housing in a manner which will more fully appear here inafter.

Preferably the metal of the superimposed laminae is cut away at the corners of the fold as shown at z' and z", for the purpose of reducing the length of material in the connecting portion k of each lamina, which it is necessary to cut when separating the upper portion from the lower portion.

To facilitate this separation of the two portions of each lamina of the shim, I also preferably provide a line of perforations 3', or other means for weakening the metal adj acent the line of the fold.

he various laminae of the lower portion as at It to permit the passageof a bolt for g therethrough, and thus insure permanency in the position of the shim irrespective of the tightness. of said bolt.

The'laminae. of the upper portion h of the shim, are provided with a recessed or slotted portion 70 adapted to straddle the bolt so as to permit the upper portion of any lamina to be withdrawn from between the two sections of the journal housing after it has been separated from the lower portion, and after the bolt f or g passing through the opening It of the lower portion, has been loosened sufliciently to afford the clearance nece sary to permit such withdrawal.

The two portions h and h are of substantially the same length as t e bearing housing sections with which they cooperate, and are of a width to engage the adjacent edges of the bearings d and 6, preferably, however, without engaging the crank pin.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 3, both of the portions It and h are positioned between the two sections of the ournal housing.

In the; form of the invention shown'in 0 Figs. 4 and 5, however, the upper section 72, only is positioned .between said housing sections, the lower section It being positioned between the lower end of the boss 0 or 0 and the nut of the bolt, these two 1 5 portions being connected by an elongated strip k instead of the fold 71, shown in Figs. 1 to ..3.

The two forms of the invention shown have substantially the samecharacteristicsin 120 use; that shown in Figs. '1 to 3 being preferable where a thick shim is required, and

forming the .weakened portion j may be formed during the trimming operat1on.'

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the piercing and slotting operations would, of necessity, be separate operations.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to.3, it would be necessary to separate the two portions of each lamina along the fold before the upper portion h thereof could be removed. In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 4 and 5, however, the upper lamina could be removed from between the journal housing sections, and.

thereafter severed adjacent the lower end of the connecting strip k In use a shim made in accordance with my invention is mounted upon each of the bolts f and g by passing the bolt through the opening is in the lower portion h when assembling the housing in the usual man-' ner, preparatory to reaming the anti-friction bearing 0le.

. When the bearing has been properly fitted to the crank pin, the shims are retained in this position, the edge thereof adjacent said pin forming no part of the bearing surfaces therefor.

In the event of. any looseness in the bearing, resulting in a knock, and wear of .001

of an inch will be noticeable in the running of the engine, it is merely necessary to loosen up the nut of the bolts 7 and g sufficiently to permit a knife blade to vbe inserted adjacent the fold k of the uppermost laminarfor the purpose of severing the upper portion thereof from the lower portion, after which the uppermost lamina laminae, which will be held by the lower portion-thereof through which the bolt passes.

With the form of invention shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the upper portion h may be removed from between the housing sections after the bolts are loosened, and the con-' necting portion It thereafter severed.

I through,

By employing superimposed laminae totally unconnected except along the outer edge, there will always be slight flexibility in the shim, so as to permit a proper tightening of the bearings upon the crank pin, although this flexibility will be so slight as to be hardly appreciable, but when dealing in fractions of .001 of an inch it may serve a useful purpose of preserving a sufficiently tight joint at the shim even though the takeup is slightly less than the thickness of one lamina thereof. i

A shim made in accordance with my invention may be made of sheet brass, sheet steel, or any other material which may be reduced to the desired thinness, the material of the shim not being an important factor in the invention.

Having described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to have protected by Letters Patent, is

1. A shim consisting of a plurality of superimposed, unconnected, independently separable laminae composed of thin metal stock, each of said laminae having two connected substantially parallel portions, one of which has a bolt opening therethrough and the other of which has a slot therein adapted to straddle a bolt passing through the other opening, whereby said portions may be readily severed ,one from the other and the slotted portion may be removed from the housing independently of the portion having the bolt opening therethrough.

2. A shim embodying therein a lamina of thin metal stock folded upon itself to form an upper and a lower portion substantially parallel one with the other, and an integral connecting portion, one of said portions having a bolt opening therethrough, and the other portion having a slot opening through the edge thereof, said bolt opening and said slot being adapted to have a bolt pass there through, whereby said lamina will be held in relation to a I tion having a bolt opening therethrough and said other portion may be readily severed from said first named portion and removed from thehousing independently of said first named portion.

3. A shim embodying therein alamina of thin metal stock folded upon itself to form an upper and a lower portion substantially parallel one with the other, and an integral connecting portion reduced in width relatively'. to said other portions, one of said portions having a bolt opening thereand the other portion having a slot opening through the edge thereof, said bolt opening "and said slot being adapted to have a bolt pass therethrough,. whereby said lamina will be held in relation to a journal housing by said portion having a bolt opening therethrough and said other portion ournal housing by said pormay be readily severed from said first named portion and removed from the housing independently of said first named portion.

4. A shim embodying therein a lamina o1 thin metal stock folded upon itself to form an upper and a lower portion substantially parallel one with the other, and an integral connecting portion, the material of said lamina being weakened adjacent said connecting portion, one of said portions having a bolt opening therethrough, and the other portion having a slot opening through the edge thereof, said bolt opening and said slot being adapted to have a bolt pass therethrough, whereby said lamina will beheld in relation to a journal housing by said portion having a bolt opening therethrough and said other portion may be readily severed from said first named portion and removed from the housing independently of said first named portion.

5. A shim embodying therein a lamina of thin metal stock folded upon itself to form an upper and a lower portion substantially parallel one with the other, and an integral connecting portion reduced in Width relatively to said other portions, the material of said lamina being weakened adjacent said connecting portion, one of said portions having a bolt opening therethrough, and the other portion having a slot opening through the edge thereof, said bolt opening and said slot being adapted to have a bolt pass therethrough, whereby said lamina will be held in relation to a journal housing by said portion having a bolt opening therethrough and said, other portion may be readily severed from said first named portion and removed from the housing independently of saidfirst named portion. I

6. A shim consisting of a plurality of .superimposed, unconnectedlaminee composed of thin metal stock, the superimposed laminae being folded upon each other to form in the complete shim two substantially parallel portions, and a connecting portion between each lamina of one portion and a lamina of the other portion, the laminae of one of said parallel portions having a bolt opening therethrough, and the laminae of the other parallel portion having a slot therethrough opening through the edge thereof, said opening and said slot-being adapted to receive the bolt connecting the sections of a journal housing, whereby the slotted portion of each lamina may be separated from the other portion thereof, and removed from the housing independently thereof and without removing the bolt.

In witness whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature, in the presence of two subscribingwitnesses, this 20th day of July RICHARD P. FLINN. Witnesses:

F. T. WENTWORTH, FRIEDA KOEHLER. v 

